Crit me, not my car - Webber
2012-06-08 07:58
LEAVE MY CAR ALONE! Mark Webber’s victory in Monaco has been criticised after the FIA ruled that Red Bull needed to make changes to its F1 cars.
MONTREAL, Canada - Mark Webber has defended Red Bull against allegations of illegality, saying he won fair and square in Monaco with a car that passed every technical inspection.
Formula 1's governing International Automobile Federation issued a technical directive to all teams last week clarifying the rules.
That was interpreted as being aimed mainly at reigning champion Red Bull, some of whose rivals had threatened to protest at the Monaco GP because of what they saw as an illegal hole in the car's floor.
'IT PI**ES ME OFF'
Webber told an official news conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix that, as a driver, he would not know whether his car's floor had been changed or not as a result of that note.
Webber said: "On the driving side, we're very optimistic that the change won't make much difference at all. You won't believe us but we had some changes for Valencia (the upcoming race in Spain after Montreal) anyway which included no hole, irrespective of the rule change, so that's what we were doing.
"In relation to winning races with an illegal car, I'm happy to be called lots of things and I'm happy to have criticism about my driving and lots of stuff, but I will not take criticism in that respect."
Webber added: "It completely pisses me off to be honest, because the car passed every single technical regulation after the race. All of the teams that were against it did not make any protest after Monaco, the car passed the test after Bahrain... and now there has been a clarification on the rule, and the rule now is different."
Red Bull's double World champion Sebastian Vettel won in Bahrain, with the Renault-powered team the only winner of more than one race so far in 2012.
LAST-LAP WIN
Webber and Vettel are level on points, three behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso after a season that has thrown up six different winners in six races.
Red Bull has never won at Montreal's Gilles Villeneuve circuit; McLaren won in 2010 with Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button took the rain-tortured race in 2011 after passing Vettel on the last lap.
Webber said: "Seb was very close in 2011 but lost concentration at the end and Jenson was there to capitalise. I think, judging by how the start of the season has gone, there is every chance that we can still do well in Canada.
"I think that there's no real form card. We come here confident but not crazy on confidence."
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